A View from the Lake

A View from the Lake by Tom Schroeder, President, Beaver Dam Lake Management District

As our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding over the Fourth of July, the Beaver Dam Lake Management District is also marking 35 years of protecting and preserving our lake. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered since July 1991 as a board member, officer, committee member, or project volunteer. Your support has made possible the ongoing control of EWM, 17 years of restoration work on Library Lake, dredging in 3rd Avenue and the east leg of Wickre Harbor, and 12 years of involvement in replacing the Highway 63 box culvert with the new bridge.

On Jan. 13, 2026, Alan Carlson and I met with representatives from the WDNR to discuss the 2026 Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) treatment plan before submitting our permit application. After the WDNR denied most of the 2025 EWM permit application, except for one area in Hunts Bay, the BDLMD filed for a contested case review. Before the hearing, we reached a compromise that included a face-to-face meeting in January 2026 to review the 2026 treatment plan prior to our permit submittal. During that meeting, we discussed each proposed treatment area, the likely impact if left untreated, and the expected results based on supporting data. We submitted the 2026 EWM treatment plan on Feb. 24, 2026. In early March, I spent the better part of an hour with the WDNR discussing their preliminary approval of 40 of the 52 proposed treatment locations. We agreed to add two more sites, bringing the total to 42 treatment areas. The remaining locations will be monitored throughout the summer for growth and possible interference with boating. Because May temperatures have fluctuated, treatment is expected in mid-June, depending on water temperature and plant growth.

As noted in the last “View from the Lake” article, a walking path and a new dock with an attached kayak/canoe launch were installed by the southeast stormwater pond. The path connects to the pedestrian crossing across the highway near the former real estate office. The City of Cumberland recently completed the electronic crossing signal, which was funded by the Cumberland Area Trails Alliance (CATA). Please watch for pedestrians there and at other crosswalks throughout Cumberland. In addition, a new dock was installed near the small “pepper-eating” stage, and the old dock was moved to a more stable location near the northeast stormwater pond. Thank you to Ian Haugen of Cumberland Dock and Storage for installing the new dock and relocating the old one.

The Lake District is considering cost-effective ways to improve navigation under the Grove Street Bridge. With the lake currently at or slightly above normal level, boats can pass under the bridge. Remember to lower your pontoon canopy and raise the motor to avoid hitting the bottom.

Debate continues over the effects of enhanced wakes on shorelines and lake bottoms, and several organizations are advocating statewide regulations. Alan Carlson and I attended the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Conference in April, where several sessions focused on this issue. In one session, a lawyer familiar with the topic said he did not expect the Wisconsin Legislature to pass enhanced-wake regulations. However, he strongly believed that local control should remain with lake districts, associations, and townships so they can consider ordinances when needed. Several lake districts and townships in northern and southeastern Wisconsin have already adopted ordinances limiting wave-enhancing watercraft, and some of those ordinances are being challenged in court. The Town of Scott ordinance on Birch Island Lake in Burnett County is the closest example to Cumberland. There are certainly small, shallow lakes and rivers where watercraft that create enhanced wakes should be prohibited. I again encourage everyone to use common sense when operating any watercraft on Beaver Dam Lake. Even though there are no “No Wake” buoys at the Narrows, please slow down there, just as you would near the sandbar between Rabbit Bay and Williams Bay, where “No Wake” buoys are posted. This is especially important when boaters are gathered on the sandbar. If you are creating an enhanced wave for surfing or wakeboarding, please stay in the middle of the lake and in deeper water.

I want to thank Chris Kemper for once again placing the buoys at the Narrows and Tom Goldsmith for maintaining the buoys at the Sand Dam and beach area. I also want to recognize Chip Nieburg, Jim Tempesta, and Phil DeNucci for their continued time and effort in conducting WDNR water-quality monitoring on Beaver Dam Lake. Thanks as well to Joe’l Brenny, who continues to manage the BDLMD website. One last note: please mark your calendar for the BDLMD Annual Meeting on August 8, 2026, at 9:30 AM.  I’ll see you on the lake and have a great summer!